Trista Sutter’s ‘Bachelorette’ Blog: My Three Favorite Guys and More

On Monday night, we watched as Emily Maynard began her journey on ABC’s Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise… for the second time. And after she and Brad Womack split following a whirlwind televised romance on Season 15 of The Bachelor, Maynard insisted on Monday’s premiere that the second time is the charm. At least, she’s hoping she won’t have to try for the third time — and Trista Sutter, the star of the first season of The Bachelorette, knows a little something about making reality relationships last (she and husband Ryan Sutter just celebrated their 8th wedding anniversary), and thinks that Maynard may in fact meet Mr. Right this time around. So, who are Sutter’s favorite contenders? The happily married mother of two tells Hollywood.com why three men in particular might just nab Maynard’s heart.

No surprise one of Mrs. Ryan Sutter’s favorite contestants this season is Ryan, the hunky 31-year-old former football player that wrote a corny note for Maynard. “I really like Ryan, go figure,” Trista says. “I felt like so many of these introductions were incredibly cheesy and completely unnecessary. The grandma thing was way over-the-top ridiculous. [But] I liked Ryan. I loved the note. I just felt like it was a cute way to say, ‘I’m excited to be here.’”

And it seems Maynard isn’t the only Bachelorette with a soft spot for race car drivers. Sutter too feels Arie, the handsome 30-year-old race car driver from the Netherlands, has potential, despite the fact that he shares a day job with Maynard’s deceased former fiancé. “I thought that it seemed like they had good chemistry,” she says. “For a first impression that’s important. I think that obviously the race car thing was a big concern for him. I was kind of curious as to how she would react to that as well. I think that she can put that behind her, and she was a realist in saying, ‘It’s really the only sport that I know about.’ It’s something that she could connect with him on.”

The final contestant Sutter has her eyes on? Thirty-year-old Brazilian, Alessandro. “I think a guy who can speak another language is sexy,” Sutter says. “She probably won’t pick Alessandro, but I liked him.”

Still, Maynard has her 6-year-old daughter to think about — she needs to pick someone who is right for both of them. According to Sutter, “I would think she would want someone who is going to love her and her family unconditionally above all else.”

And like the rest of the American viewing public, Sutter is hesitant to believe that someone is Kalon, the helicopter-riding contestant who seems poised to be this season’s villain. “I mean, when you come in with that kind of ego, I don’t know how you can’t be portrayed as a [villain],” Sutter says. “A villain in our society is someone who is conceited. When you have to use a helicopter and when you’re showing yourself buying shoes and talking about how much money you have, I don’t think that’s the classiest way to go. Not a real fan of Kalon.”

Sutter is also shocked that Maynard gave the first impression rose to Doug. “Ryan and I were watching together and we both felt the same way, that he was kind of playing the parent card a little too hard,” she says. “I was a little shocked that he got the first rose. “

But whoever Maynard ends up with, Sutter is cheering her on. “I’m just so hopeful that she will finally find her prince charming,” she says.

You can reach Sutter on Twitter @tristasutter — and her website, TristaSutter.com, will be live soon. Plus, check back here every week for more of Trista’s Bachelorette blog.